What are the best season finales of all time?

Recently, I’ve been sucked back into Lost. You can argue
about the series finale of Lost until you’re blue in the face, but the truth is
– Lost had some of the best season finales in history.

What am I talking about?

A lot of shows have gone out with a whimper when their
series finales ultimately disappoint fans. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, for example, had three of the
best season finales on record but that series finale was a travesty.

So, I thought it might be fun to revisit some of the best
season finales ever (series finales are not allowed).

So, what are they?

10. Gethsemane, The X-Files Season Four: The truth is out
there and in the final episode of season

four, Fox Mulder was grappling with
the certainty that he had been wrong, not right. All those aliens he’d been
chasing? Well, it looked like the real government conspiracy was faking these
alien altercations. Mulder didn’t handle the revelation well, and while Scully
struggled to protect him from afar Mulder continued to chase the truth and it
looked like that truth would end with Mulder’s death. Sure, fans know that
Mulder didn’t really die – but those moments where he questioned himself on his
life’s work were both powerful and terrifying.

9. The Reichenbach Fall, Sherlock Season Two: It’s probably
not fair to include Sherlock here – especially since each season is only three
episodes – but The Reichenbach Fall is so phenomenal it would be criminal to
leave it off the list. As Sherlock finally comes face to face with Moriarty, he
realizes that he doesn’t have a choice but to kill himself – in spectacular
fashion – if he wants to protect his friends. With John Watson watching from
the ground, Sherlock appears to step from a building and fall to his death –
his friend looking on in horror and grief. Sure, as Watson visits Sherlock’s
grave several weeks later, fans are shown that Sherlock somehow survived his
fall. Still, though, the moments leading up to that revelation – including Moriarty
being deranged enough to shoot himself in the head just so he could "win" – are so terrific that fans
of the series are still chattering about it.

8. The Telling, Alias Season Two: I’m not going to lie,
Alias was up and down. Each season had

dizzying highs and terrifying lows. The
pinnacle for Alias, though, came at the end of the second season. The Alias
crew was never happy for long but it looked like Sydney and Vaughn were at
least going to get a few minutes of happiness when things completely fell apart. The second season saw the end of
SD6, the disappearance of Sloan and the murder of Sydney’s roommate Francie.
While I never got the appeal of Francie, once they “doubled” her and placed a
spy in Sydney’s own home, the show really picked up some momentum. In the
season two finale, Sydney finds out that she’s the woman at the heart of the
Rambaldi prophecy (and then watches her mother jump off the top of a building)
and then goes home and realizes that Francie is not really Francie. After a
bloody battle – one that appears to end with Sydney shooting (and killing) the
Francie double before passing out – we flash to Sydney waking up on a Hong Kong
street. She has no memory of how or why she’s there. When Vaughn comes to pick
Sydney up, we find out a terrible truth: She’s been missing for two years. And,
oh yeah, Vaughn is married. What a punch in the gut that was.

7. The Best of Both Worlds, Star Trek: The Next Generation
Season Three: The first two seasons of the Star Trek spinoff weren’t great.
Somewhere in season three, though, the show finally hit its stride. The season
three finale found the Enterprise crew grappling with emotional and physical
hardships. Riker found himself questioning his place on the Enterprise – while everyone
else was just trying to survive. Once the Borg kidnap Picard, though, and turned
him into a Borg things get really ugly. Riker has to take over as captain –
something he doesn’t want to do – and fans are left wondering if Picard is
truly lost. In the final moments of the season finale, Riker orders his
shipmates to do the impossible: Fire on the Borg ship to destroy it – also destroying
Picard at the same time. It’s a chilling order and fans were left with the
summer to wait for the outcome.

Triobloidi was a turning point in Sons of
Anarchy lore. We found out that SAMCRO was going to keep getting bloodier (and
that’s saying something) and that nothing was off limits. In season two, fans
still had hope that Jax and Tara would get their happily ever after (everyone
knows that’s not happening now), so just when it looked like Jax and Clay were
about to win the day, viewers were socked in the gut with a kidnapping. The
final scene, a beaten and despondent Jax falling to the ground and screaming at
the loss of his son, is one that sticks with fans of the series even today.

5. Abyssinia, Henry, MASH Season 3: MASH was one of those
rare shows that successfully managed to merge humor and drama – before it was
popular. At its heart, MASH was about a group of military misfits – and Henry
Blake was the head misfit. You can’t have a military show without some cast
turnover, so it was no surprise when Henry Blake was due to rotate out of Korea
and head back home. Fans thought Henry was getting a happy ending until Radar
interrupted the doctors in the middle of surgery to say that Henry’s plane had
gone down – and there were no survivors. The looks on the faces of every doctor
and nurse in that operating room were heartbreaking and, yet, in the great
tradition of television, they all continued to do their job. Henry Blake left a
legacy of fun on MASH that was never quite captured again.

4. Swan Song, Supernatural Season Five: Supernatural only
had a planned story arc for five seasons. And, the truth is, those five seasons
are magic. The seasons since have been a rough road – and yet Supernatural is
going into its 10th season next year. When it comes down to it,
though, Supernatural’s greatest moment came in the angelic throwdown between
Michael (who had taken over Adam’s body) and Lucifer (who had taken over Sam’s
body). Even though he no longer had the strength to affect the outcome of the
fight, Dean refused to abandon Sam to his fate. So, he arrived on the
battlefield, received a bloody beating from Lucifer, and somehow managed to
help Sam get control of Lucifer long enough to plunge into hell – taking Michael
with him. Would it have been sad to see Sam go out that way? Yes, but it was a
heroic death. From the opening strains of Wayward Son to the closing seconds of
a lost Dean finding his way to the only place he had left to call home, the
entire episode was perfection – even when we caught sight of a very much alive
Sam watching Dean from afar in the closing seconds.

3. A House Divided, Dallas Season Three: Who shot JR? That
was the biggest moment in television history for a very long time. Sure, the
answer to the question was kind of a letdown, but watching the soap’s titular
hero take one in the chest and drop down to what should have been certain death
was a jarring moment for Dallas fans. Larry Hagman’s JR is one of those
television characters that transcends the genre. Just last year, Hagman
succumbed to cancer and JR – this time on the reboot – was finally killed off
for real. While the reboot did a terrific job with Hagman’s send off, nothing
will ever really topple JR’s gasp and chest clasp and viewers were forced to
sit through several long months of doubt (remember, television reporting wasn’t
as prevalent back in the day) about whether or not JR would survive.

2. The Gift, Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Five: This is
another show that could have had

multiple entries. See the honorable mentions
for another one, in fact. Picking the best finale of Buffy, though, is
difficult. In the end, you have to go with Buffy’s sacrificial dive into a
glowing chasm to save Dawn’s life. This really should have been the series
finale, especially given how poor the final two seasons of the show were. As an
ending, though, The Gift offered fans a self-fulfilling prophecy. The truth is,
slayers never live long – and we had five seasons with Buffy. Slayers almost
always got killed by vampires, but by sacrificing herself for Dawn – Buffy was
choosing when and how she was going out. Her speech to Dawn played over her
swan dive into death, which was truly a magical sequence. Watching Willow,
Giles and Spike react to her broken body at the bottom of the abyss left
viewers in tears. But it was Buffy’s final words that gave fans hope: “Be
brave, live, for me.”

1. Through the Looking Glass, Lost Season Three: Two Lost
season finales really could have made this list. The season five ender, The
Incident, could have also made the list but I wanted to limit the top ten so
one show couldn’t take more than one spot. Through the Looking Glass was a
game-changer for Lost fans. Not only did we have a mysterious figure parachute
onto the island, but we also had Charlie swim out to the Looking Glass station
with the express purpose of dying. The writers gave us a small reprieve there
at the end where there was a chance that Charlie would survive after all. But
then they threw a bucket of cold water on us (literally) and let Charlie die –
but not before he managed to convey the terrifying message that the boat that
had made it to the island was not Penny’s boat and that the castaways were in
mortal danger. Again. One of Lost’s strengths has always been the score and
that haunting score as Charlie drowned sticks with viewers. When you couple
that sad death with the shocking realization that the Jack we’ve been seeing –
presumably in flashback – is really a flash-forward after he (and at least some
of the other castaways) have escaped from the island. “We have to go back!”
That’s great television folks.

Honorable mentions go to:

The Incident, Lost Season Five: While season three’s finale
was the saddest, season five’s finale of

Lost had an emotional wallop, too.
Between Juliet’s death and Jack’s certainty that, if they just blew everything
up, time would reset itself. We all know that didn’t happen, but Sawyer and
Juliet’s heartbreaking goodbye as he tried to save her from falling to her
death is one of those indelible Lost moments that will stick with you forever.

The Getaway, Dexter Season Four: Rooting for a serial killer
is hard. Still, fans managed to do just that with Dexter. That’s why, at the
end of season four, when Dexter returned home to find his infant son playing in
the blood of his dead mother, fans knew that things were about to change.

Becoming, Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Two: Was there
ever a more tragic television moment than Buffy shoving a sword through a
suddenly reensouled Angel’s heart? The lovebirds were reunited for thirty
seconds before Buffy had to make a choice and save the world. Sure, Angel
returned next season (dropping from the ceiling naked), but the couple was
never the same.

Death And All His Friends, Grey’s Anatomy Season Six: This
show hasn’t been relevant for years, but there was a brief resurgence in the
season six finale when a hospital shooter wiped out most of the Mercy West
people and rejuvenated the series. It only lasted one episode, though.

The One With Monica and Chandler’s Wedding, Friends Season
Seven: A wedding and a surprise pregnancy? Friends knew how to keep fans
wanting more.

though, Raylan is saved by Art and then has
to go and save Loretta (from herself) before watching Mags drop dead of poison.
It really was Justified’s finest moment.

How to Stop An Exploding Man, Heroes Season One:This isa show that had one good season and then fell into total chaos and crap.
Still, that first season is so well done and the finale is so grand and
fulfilling, that I often look back on Heroes with a certain fondness that it
probably doesn’t deserve. As Peter takes on Sylar, Claire struggles with having
to shoot her beloved uncle to save everyone and Nathan arrives in time to save
the day – the entire thing is just masterful. “You saved the cheerleader so we
could save the world.” The show really should have used the first season arc
for its entire run.

GENERAL HOSPITAL: The Port Charles conundrum

If you’ve been watching General Hospital as long as I have,
it’s fair to say that threats to out and out quit watching the show are often
empty.

As angry as I am about certain things on the soap right now –
and I am angry – I’m not going to

entirely give up on the show.

That being said, I have already cut down on what I’m
watching – and Robin hasn’t even left yet.

I would never stop watching just because Robin is leaving. I’m
not going to lie, I am irritated at the way Robin is being written out and I am
infuriated that the writers have found a way to prop Jason from the great
beyond.

I have made no secret of the fact that I think the best
thing Ron Carlivati did when he took over writing GH was to kill off Jason.
Many fans had fled Port Charles over mob fatigue – and Jason was a big reason
for that.

I am sure that somewhere, down the line, we’re going to get
a Jason recast. I don’t think that’s happening any time soon – but if GH lasts
for a few more years, it will definitely happen at some point.

What angers me most about Robin’s exit, though, is that it
makes her look like a bad mother. I have no problem with Robin walking out on
Patrick. I was over Patrick the minute he had to “think about” who he belonged
with – even though we had been shown just the opposite on screen. Robin would
never voluntarily leave Emma – not even for Saint Jason of the Docks.

Robin’s exit is far from my only problem, though.

I mean, what has happened to Carly? I don’t care how you’ve
retconned Franco’s past. He’s still the man that arranged Michael’s rape and
kidnapped Josslyn – that’s on top of the fact that he tried to blow up Lulu and
he terrorized Jason. Carly would never get within 100 feet of this guy’s bed,
and yet she’s sitting there mooning over him anyway.

It’s insulting.

I’m used to Carly being a hypocrite. Today, for example, she
said she didn’t like Robin because she

didn’t stay out of other people’s
business and then invaded Robin and Patrick’s business two minutes later. Carly
never stayed out of anyone’s business – let alone Robin’s – so listening to her
lambast Robin was hilarious.

All that being said, Carly would never betray Jason or her
son by hooking up with Franco. She just wouldn’t do it.

What else is bugging me? Well, how about the fact that
Julian is supposed to be a big, bad mob boss and he’s spending all his time
tattling to the cops? Is that supposed to give him legitimacy?

How about how Ava is supposed to be a murderous adult and
she’s moony over a teenager?

How about Michael and Kiki are all over the place with no
sustaining story?

How about how Liz’s whole story seems to be about stalking
Nikolas and looking desperate when it comes to Britt? I mean, I’m sorry, I’m
never going to root for Liz and Nikolas because it’s a betrayal to both Emily
and Lucky. That’s just how I am on this coupling. How about we give Liz and
Patrick a chance for a real, adult romance? I’m totally behind that.

I’m also already hating Ric’s return. I love Rick Hearst,
but I can already see he’s going to be sacrificed on the altar of Sonny and I
can’t stand it. How about a realistic love triangle with Ric, Alexis and
Julian? How about that?

Finally, I’m sorry, but Molly is so immature that believing
she’s ready for sex is almost laughable.

I’m not a prude. I know teens have sex
and I have no problem with it. Molly acts 12, though, not 15 and she’s nowhere
near ready to have sex with TJ (who looks like he’s in his twenties). It’s just
uncomfortable. And, if the writers go where I fear they’re going, they’re going
to somehow make Ric balk because TJ is black – and that’s just insulting on so
many levels it’s not even funny.

GH has a lot going for it – and most of that is wrapped
around the vets.

It has a lot of problems, too.

I’m not going to quit watching the show. I would never
threaten that. I am DVRing all the episodes during the week, though, and
watching most episodes on fast-forward. I can currently get an entire episode
crammed into fifteen minutes without missing anything I care about.

And that, my friends, is a sad commentary on the current
state of the soap.

Disappointed in Downton? Join the club

To say that the fourth season of Downton Abbey was a
disappointment would be a massive understatement.

I found the entire fourth season – which concluded this past
Sunday – to be one big letdown.

I understand the problems associated with producing British
television. I know that the actors sign three-year contracts (while the
American contract is a standard seven years) and that most of these shows do
not have increased revenue to offer these actors enough money to entice them to
stay when those initial three years end.

Do I think Downtown has been hurt by the recent cast
departures? Absolutely.

Matthew, Sybil and O’Brien were integral parts of the
Downton cog and – apparently – that cog doesn’t turn the wheel without them.

While those three characters were important to Downton,
though, they’re not the main reason why season four was such an abject failure.

What were they?

5. Rose’s rebellion couldn’t have been more boring: With Sybil’s
absence, I get why the writers decided to introduce another young woman. Here’s
the problem: Rose can’t live up to Sybil’s legacy. Sybil was definitely my
favorite sister and, when she died, it took a chunk out of my heart as well as
those of the rest of her family. Rose is a poor substitute. While I don’t
dislike taking a look at the flapper lifestyle, Rose is so vapid and so worried
about making her mother pay that she becomes completely unlikeable. Rose is not
loyal, she’s not steadfast and she has no familial pride. So why are we
supposed to root for her again?

4. What happened to Violet and Barrow? The Dowager Countess
was once the (biting) highlight of Downton. This year she did . . . what did she do again?
Well, she made Edith feel bad about getting knocked up and she got sick for an
episode. Yeah, that’s about all she did. That’s a great waste of Maggie Smith’s
talents and memorable snark. Do better next season. The same goes forThomas Barrow – the guy we all love to hate.
This snake in the grass has launched all-out assaults on various servants at
Downton throughout the years –but with the departure of O’Brien, Thomas seems
to have lost his teeth. He had even less to do this season – besides sit there
and say ominous things and glower in the corner – than any previous seasons.
Bring back the jerk we love to watch scheme.

3. Edith gets more and more (and more and more) pathetic: I
know that some parents play favorites, but the way that Lord and Lady Grantham
dote on Mary (and Sybil, before her death) and yet constantly treat Edith with
derision and out and out neglect is baffling. Since we met Edith, she’s fallen
for a really old guy, got left at the altar, fallen for a burned guy faking his
identity, fallen for a married guy that fell off the face of the earth, gotten
knocked up, given up her baby and . . . she’s just one pathetic story after the
other. Edith showed signs of greatness in season two when she helped out during
the war effort – but she immediately plummeted to pre-war pathetic posturing in
record time after that. Does Edith have to be everyone’s punching bag?

2. Mary is the most unlikeable character – and yet she’s
also propped the most: Michelle

Dockery must be some sort of saint, because the
way the Downton writers prop Mary has to be a reflection of how much they love
Dockery. I have never watched a character with so little redeeming value that
manages to take over every single storyline every season. Even when Matthew was
alive, Mary was a complete pain, but her love story with Matthew was her one redeeming
quality. Now, after mourning poutily and neglecting her child for a year and a
half, Mary is ready to move on and she’s encouraging three different suitors to
start chasing her around. Here’s a hint: Trying to convince me that Mary
deserves three suitors (while Edith just gets more and more pathetic) is not
going to make me like Mary anymore. In fact, it’s going to have the opposite
effect. I truly think I just might loathe Mary now.

1. Anna’s rape became all about Bates: The truth is, through
the first three seasons of the show, Anna and Bates were the central love
story. Sure, Mary and Matthew got all the glory – but Anna and Bates set the
rhythm of the house and their sweet love story was what anchored Downton when
it threatened to float off into soapy space. Unfortunately, the big story of
this season was Anna’s brutal rape at the hands of another servant. After the
initial attack, all of Anna’s feelings and problems were subjugated because
everyone was terrified what Bates would think. Anna had to suffer and deal with
things because Bates would kill her attacker and then Bates would have to pay
for his actions. Nothing was about Anna. To add insult to injury, after Bates
did find out about the rape the story became more about him and Mary – how Mary
felt about Anna’s rape. It was insulting all around. Then, in the final two
episodes, it becomes relatively apparent that Bates did murder Anna’s attacker –
but everyone’s fine with it because he stole a letter from someone’s pocket.
Huh?

What do you think? What were your biggest complaints with
season three of Downton Abbey?

Cancelled

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Game (ABC)How I Met
Your Mother (CBS)Ironside (NBC)Killer Women
(ABC)Lucky 7 (ABC)The Michael
J. Fox Show (NBC)Nikita (CW)Sean Saves
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About Me

Amanda Lee is a sports reporter and internet editor for The Macomb Daily. An avid entertainment enthusiast, Lee will give her take on books, movies, music, television, technology, games, sports and even soap operas.
Lee is also the author of 11 books in three different series – including the Avery Shaw mysteries, Wicked Witches of the Midwest and Covenant College series. A fourth series about the everyday strife associated with being a grim reaper, will hit shelves later this summer.